Software project management (intro)
Resource allocation
Schedules
Activity schedule

indicating start and completion dates for each
activity
Resource schedule

indicating dates when resources needed +
level of resources
Cost schedule

showing accumulative expenditure
Resources
Any item or person required for the execution
of the project
These include







labour
equipment (e.g. workstations)
Materials – consumed items
space – eg. office
Services – eg. Telecommmunication
Time - elapsed time can often be reduced by adding
more staff
Money -- used to buy the other resources
Resource allocation
Identify the resources needed for each
activity
Identify resource types

- individuals are interchangeable within the
group (e.g. ‘VB programmers’ as opposed to
‘software developers’)
Allocate resource types to activities and
examine the resource histogram
Resource histogram:
systems analysts
5
4
3
2
1
WEEK
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Resource clashes
can be resolved by:

delaying one of the activities
taking advantage of float to change start date
delaying start of one activity until finish of the
other activity that resource is being used on puts back project completion


moving resource from a non-critical activity
bringing in additional resource - increases
costs
Priorities
Critical path activities
Other activities with little float
When a short activity would allow a
number of larger activities to start
30 days
resource
clash
4 days
10 days
15 days
15 days
Classification of A Scheduling
Problem
Time constrained


Project must be completed by an imposed
date
If required, resource can be added
Resource constrained


The level of resources cannot be exceeded
It is acceptable to delay project if the
resources are inadequate
Resource Allocation Method
Assumption:


Splitting resources will not be allowed
The level of resource used cannot be
changed
Note:

This assumption just to simplify learning
Time Constrained Projects
ID
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
A
2
2
B
2
2
2
2
2
2
C
2
2
2
2
D
1
1
E
1
1
F
1
1
9
10
1
1
G
Total
resource
5
4
3
2
1
2
2
5
5
4
4
4
4
1
1
11
12
1
1
1
1
Resource
Chart
Resource
profile
Leveled Resource Schedule
ID
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
A
2
2
B
X
X
2
2
2
2
2
2
C
2
2
2
2
D
1
1
E
1
1
F
1
1
1
1
G
Total
resource
5
4
3
2
1
2
2
5
5
4
4
4
4
1
1
11
12
1
1
1
1
Resource
Chart
Resource
profile
Leveled Resource Schedule (2)
ID
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
A
2
2
9
10
B
2
2
2
2
2
2
C
2
2
2
2
D
X
X
X
X
X
X
1
1
E
X
X
1
1
F
1
1
1
1
G
Total
resource
5
4
3
2
1
2
2
5
5
4
4
4
4
1
1
11
12
1
1
1
1
Resource
Chart
Resource
profile
Downside of leveling
Loss of flexibility that occurs from reducing
slack
The risk of activities also increases

Because slack reduction can create more
critical activities and/or near-critical activities
Resource Constrained Projects
Schedule activities using the following
heuristic priority rules in the order
presented:
1.
2.
3.
Minimum slack
Smallest duration
Lowest activity identification number
Parallel Method
Approach to apply heuristics
An iterative process that starts at the first
time period of the project and schedules
period-by-period any activities eligible to
start
When two or more activities require the
same resource, the priority rules are
applied
Parallel Method – Example (2)
Assume: resource pool is limited to 3
Period : 1, 2
ID
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
A
2
2
B
2
2
2
2
2
2
C
2
2
2
2
D
1
1
E
1
1
F
1
1
9
10
1
1
G
Total
resource
2
2
5
5
Period 1: Load A
Period 2: No activities loaded
4
4
4
4
1
1
11
12
1
1
1
1
Parallel Method – Example (2)
Period : 3
ID
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
A
2
2
B
2
2
2
2
2
2
C
2
2
2
2
D
1
1
E
1
1
F
1
1
9
10
1
1
G
Total
resource
2
2
5
5
4
4
4
4
1
1
11
12
1
1
1
1
Period 3: B, C, D are eligible; choose C
B requires 2 resources, D requires 1 – choose D, delay B
delaying B would also delay G
Parallel Method – Example (2)
Period : 4, 5, 6
ID
1
2
A
2
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2
2
2
2
2
2
E
1
1
F
1
1
1
1
X
X
1
1
B
C
2
2
D
1
1
2
2
Stays the same
2
5
5
4
14
1
1
2
G
Total
resource
13
4
4
4
1
1
Parallel Method – Example (2)
Period : 7
ID
1
2
A
2
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2
2
2
2
2
2
E
1
1
F
1
1
1
1
X
X
1
1
B
C
2
2
D
1
1
2
2
2
5
5
4
14
1
1
2
G
Total
resource
13
4
4
4
1
1
Period 7: B, E, F are eligible – choose B (by rule 1, its slack is -2)
Load F, delay E
Parallel Method – Example (2)
Period : 8, 9, 10
ID
1
2
A
2
2
3
4
5
6
B
C
2
2
D
1
1
2
7
8
9
10
11
12
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
X
X
F
1
1
1
1
1
Stays the same
2
5
5
4
1
1
1
G
2
14
2
E
Total
resource
13
4
4
4
1
1
Parallel Method – Example (2)
Period : 11 (& 12)
ID
1
2
A
2
2
3
4
5
6
B
C
2
2
D
1
1
2
7
8
9
10
11
12
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
X
X
F
1
1
1
1
1
2
5
5
Period 11: E is eligible
Load E (slack = -2)
4
1
1
1
G
2
14
2
E
Total
resource
13
4
4
4
1
1
Parallel Method – Example (2)
Period : 13 (&14)
ID
1
2
A
2
2
3
4
5
6
B
C
2
2
D
1
1
2
7
8
9
10
11
12
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
F
1
1
1
2
Period 13: Load G
5
5
4
1
1
1
G
2
14
2
E
Total
resource
13
4
4
4
1
1
1
1
Impacts of
Resource Constraint Scheduling
Reduces slack

Increases the number of critical or near critical
activities
May break the sequential activities and
leave the network with a set of disjointed
critical activities
Resource usage
need to maximize % usage of resources

i.e. reduce idle periods between tasks
need to balance costs against early
completion date
need to allow for contingency
Being specific
Allocating resources and smoothing resource
histograms is relatively straightforward where all
resources can be considered equivalent

Eg. Laborers in building project
But, seldom for software project
Factor in allocating individuals





Availability
Criticality
Risk
Training
Team building
Publishing resources
Cost Schedule
Staff Cost
Overheads
Usage Charges
21/06/2004
14/06/2004
07/06/2004
31/05/2004
24/05/2004
17/05/2004
10/05/2004
03/05/2004
26/04/2004
19/04/2004
12/04/2004
Weeks
13/09/2004
06/09/2004
30/08/2004
23/08/2004
16/08/2004
09/08/2004
02/08/2004
26/07/2004
19/07/2004
12/07/2004
05/07/2004
28/06/2004
Rp250/h
Rp175/h
Rp225/h
Rp150/h
Rp150/h
Rp150/h
Rp150/h
Rp300/h
05/04/2004
Belinda
Tom
Daisy
Gavin
Purdy
Justin
Spencer
Amanda
Cost
Cost Schedule (2)
resource_analyst_3.mpp
Rp30,000.00
Total Cost
Rp25,000.00
Rp20,000.00
Rp15,000.00
Rp10,000.00
Rp5,000.00
Rp0.00
Sequence of project scheduling